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Precipitation-hardening in cast AL–Si–Cu–Mg alloys

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Abstract

Age-hardenable aluminum–silicon alloys have attracted increasing attention in recent years, particularly as a result of the demand for lighter vehicles as part of the overall goal to improve fuel efficiency and to reduce vehicle emissions. Among these aluminum cast alloys, the 319-type alloys have become the object of extensive investigation considering their practical importance to the transport industry. All the experimental variables, such as solidification condition, composition, and heat treatment, are known to have an influence on precipitation behavior; precipitation-hardening, however, is the most significant of these because of the presence of excess alloying elements from the supersaturated solid solution which form fine particles and consequently act as obstacles to dislocation movement. The precipitation-hardening behavior of a Sr-modified 319-type alloy containing 0.4% Mg was investigated for this study using transmission electron microscopy. Non-conventional aging cycles were applied so as to evaluate the degree of the improvement in strength potentially obtainable. The results show that the main strengthening phase is θ-Al2Cu occurring in the form of plates; other phases were observed as minor constituents in this alloy, including the binary β-Mg2Si, the ternary S-CuAlMg2, and the quaternary Q-Al5Cu2Mg7Si7.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), to General Motors Powertrain Group (USA), and to Corporativo Nemak (Mexico) for the financial support and in-kind help provided for carrying out this research. Help provided by Dr. Agnes M. Samuel in correcting the manuscript is greatly appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mining, Metals and Materials Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University St., Montreal, PQ, H3A 2B2, Canada

    F. J. Tavitas-Medrano & J. E. Gruzleski

  2. Département des Sciences Appliquées, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, PQ, G7H 2B1, Canada

    A. M. A. Mohamed & F. H. Samuel

  3. Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez Canal University, Box 43721, Suez, Egypt

    A. M. A. Mohamed

  4. GM Powertrain Group, Metal Casting Technology, Inc., 127 Old Wilton Road, Milford, NH, 03055, USA

    H. W. Doty

Authors
  1. F. J. Tavitas-Medrano
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  2. A. M. A. Mohamed
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  3. J. E. Gruzleski
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  4. F. H. Samuel
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  5. H. W. Doty
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Correspondence to F. H. Samuel.

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Tavitas-Medrano, F.J., Mohamed, A.M.A., Gruzleski, J.E. et al. Precipitation-hardening in cast AL–Si–Cu–Mg alloys. J Mater Sci 45, 641–651 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-009-3978-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-009-3978-6

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